Am I being ripped off???
#1
10-19-2005, 08:17 PM
Am I being ripped off???
Hello Everybody,
I own a c220 1995 Benz with 95 k miles on it. Recently the a/c in my car was blowing only hot air and I gave the car to a mercedes service center. They said they had to steam wash the engine and fill the a/c with a dye so as to find out where the a/c leak was. They charged me $ 350 for this. I was asked to come back later after 500 miles for them to check if the a/c was ok or if the leak had to be fixed. They also gave me an estimate for other repairs that the car needed(for about 1000 $).
A day after that when i started the car I could sense a vibration and the check engine lights came on. The same service station checked my car and after a day the called me and let me know that some water had gone in during the steam wash and that they would fix the problem for free. 10 minutes later they called me again and said that the problem hasnt cleared and that they found out that the wiring harness had to be replaced. This would cost me 1300 $...but the service station is willing to provide a discount and that i'd have to pay only 600 $.
Has anyone else had a similar problem....I have a feeling that something they did to fix the a/c is causing this problem. They said that this isnt because of the steam wash and that as cars become old parts need to be replced as well. why did they tell me that the steam wash caused this pblm in the first place then?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I own a c220 1995 Benz with 95 k miles on it. Recently the a/c in my car was blowing only hot air and I gave the car to a mercedes service center. They said they had to steam wash the engine and fill the a/c with a dye so as to find out where the a/c leak was. They charged me $ 350 for this. I was asked to come back later after 500 miles for them to check if the a/c was ok or if the leak had to be fixed. They also gave me an estimate for other repairs that the car needed(for about 1000 $).
A day after that when i started the car I could sense a vibration and the check engine lights came on. The same service station checked my car and after a day the called me and let me know that some water had gone in during the steam wash and that they would fix the problem for free. 10 minutes later they called me again and said that the problem hasnt cleared and that they found out that the wiring harness had to be replaced. This would cost me 1300 $...but the service station is willing to provide a discount and that i'd have to pay only 600 $.
Has anyone else had a similar problem....I have a feeling that something they did to fix the a/c is causing this problem. They said that this isnt because of the steam wash and that as cars become old parts need to be replced as well. why did they tell me that the steam wash caused this pblm in the first place then?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
#2
10-19-2005, 10:18 PM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
that seems like a good discount on the wiring harness.
And yea when the wiring harness gets old any upsetting it causes it to go bad so it would of happened to you soonor or later, and at a guess the symptoms for water in the electrics are similar to that of the wiring harness.
See if you can negotiate it to 500$ and say that before you took it in to get the a/c fixed you didnt have this problem and you read that it only plays up when people disturb it like they did playing under the bonnet with steam clean.
Worth a try otherwise 600$ is resonable
And yea when the wiring harness gets old any upsetting it causes it to go bad so it would of happened to you soonor or later, and at a guess the symptoms for water in the electrics are similar to that of the wiring harness.
See if you can negotiate it to 500$ and say that before you took it in to get the a/c fixed you didnt have this problem and you read that it only plays up when people disturb it like they did playing under the bonnet with steam clean.
Worth a try otherwise 600$ is resonable
#3
10-19-2005, 11:33 PM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
There are at least 2 professions on this World, that no matter perfect job, or total screw-up, still get paid full amount.
That's why I don't go to doctors and fix the cars myself.
That's why I don't go to doctors and fix the cars myself.
#4
10-19-2005, 11:36 PM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
I would contact MB national hotline and ask them if they allow engine steam-cleaning. If they don't (what I think will happen) >>>> you should get the harness for free.
#6
10-20-2005, 01:22 AM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
Thanks very much c280 and Kajtek1. Atleast I can sleep peacefully knowing very well 600 $ is reasonable. I would tell them exactly the same thing you suggested and hope for the best. I'll also try calling the MB hotline.
I was told that they had already replaced the spark plugs and that they would replace the wiring harness for 600 $.
Apprecaite your advice and suggestions. Worth a Million!!!!
I was told that they had already replaced the spark plugs and that they would replace the wiring harness for 600 $.
Apprecaite your advice and suggestions. Worth a Million!!!!
#7
10-20-2005, 04:35 AM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
when my wiring harness was done "by the previous owner i mite add" it cost him $1300!
so dont argue to much bout price as 600 is still reasonable just a quite "it would be nice as it was a big unexpected cost"
so dont argue to much bout price as 600 is still reasonable just a quite "it would be nice as it was a big unexpected cost"
#8
10-20-2005, 01:48 PM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
If the harness is known to be defective, shouldn't there be a recall on them?
I just got notice, that my 7-years old MB is subject to harmonic balancer recall. Looks, like I am getting new balancer for free and without asking.
Will probably "let them" replace the belt as well.
I just got notice, that my 7-years old MB is subject to harmonic balancer recall. Looks, like I am getting new balancer for free and without asking.
Will probably "let them" replace the belt as well.
#9
10-20-2005, 04:27 PM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
If you want my 2 cents, Them offering you such a big discount on the harness is in my view an admission they caused the problem.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
ORIGINAL: MVAANAND
Hello Everybody,
I own a c220 1995 Benz with 95 k miles on it. Recently the a/c in my car was blowing only hot air and I gave the car to a mercedes service center. They said they had to steam wash the engine and fill the a/c with a dye so as to find out where the a/c leak was. They charged me $ 350 for this. I was asked to come back later after 500 miles for them to check if the a/c was ok or if the leak had to be fixed. They also gave me an estimate for other repairs that the car needed(for about 1000 $).
A day after that when i started the car I could sense a vibration and the check engine lights came on. The same service station checked my car and after a day the called me and let me know that some water had gone in during the steam wash and that they would fix the problem for free. 10 minutes later they called me again and said that the problem hasnt cleared and that they found out that the wiring harness had to be replaced. This would cost me 1300 $...but the service station is willing to provide a discount and that i'd have to pay only 600 $.
Has anyone else had a similar problem....I have a feeling that something they did to fix the a/c is causing this problem. They said that this isnt because of the steam wash and that as cars become old parts need to be replced as well. why did they tell me that the steam wash caused this pblm in the first place then?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hello Everybody,
I own a c220 1995 Benz with 95 k miles on it. Recently the a/c in my car was blowing only hot air and I gave the car to a mercedes service center. They said they had to steam wash the engine and fill the a/c with a dye so as to find out where the a/c leak was. They charged me $ 350 for this. I was asked to come back later after 500 miles for them to check if the a/c was ok or if the leak had to be fixed. They also gave me an estimate for other repairs that the car needed(for about 1000 $).
A day after that when i started the car I could sense a vibration and the check engine lights came on. The same service station checked my car and after a day the called me and let me know that some water had gone in during the steam wash and that they would fix the problem for free. 10 minutes later they called me again and said that the problem hasnt cleared and that they found out that the wiring harness had to be replaced. This would cost me 1300 $...but the service station is willing to provide a discount and that i'd have to pay only 600 $.
Has anyone else had a similar problem....I have a feeling that something they did to fix the a/c is causing this problem. They said that this isnt because of the steam wash and that as cars become old parts need to be replced as well. why did they tell me that the steam wash caused this pblm in the first place then?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
#10
10-21-2005, 11:58 AM
RE: Am I being ripped off???
I ended up paying $414 for wiring harness replacement and the spark plugs. Plus they had cleaned other parts before detecting the pblm with the wiring harness. Think I'll be happy with the deal i got. Also if this pblm were to surface a couple of weeks later i might have ended up paying 1300 $. Thx everyone for your valuable advice and suggestions.